Govt to train 1,000 additional farmers of Balochistan: Bosan

ISLAMABAD, Oct 18 (APP): Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan here on Tuesday said that government would train 1,000 more farmers in latest agri techniques from Balochistan to explore the rich agriculture potential as well as development of the sector in the province.

Addressing the closing ceremony of Balochistan Agriculture Development Project here he said more then 1000 farmers were trained during last year with latest cultivation technologies, water management and post harvest mechanism and seed qualities.

It may be recalled that Balochistan Agriculture Project was initiated in 2009 with the help of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and USAID with the financial assistance of Australian Government.

The government, he said was attaching high priorities to the the development of agriculture and livestock sector of the province which was contributing about 1.3 percent in provincial gross domestic production.

He assured that appropriated resources would be made available for agriculture sector development which was key for the economic progress and prosperity of the people of the province.

The minister acknowledged the role of FAO and its technical assistance and USAID for execution of the projects by involving the male and female farmers which would have long lasting impact on the agri-sector of Balochistan.

He said the project had introduced cost sharing module which should be replicated to the other areas of the province in order to achieve the higher productivity.

Speaking Secretary Agriculture Balochistan, Abdul Rahman Buzdar said that the agri-sector of the province was facing several challenges.

He said that Balochistan Agriculture Project (BAP) has trained the farmers on crop and water management to enhance their productivity besides providing marketing access to sell their produces on reasonable rates and eliminate the role of middle man.

Mission Director USAID, John Grouk said that BAP had changed lives of thousands of people in many districts of Balochistan and involved the women in the projects.

He said that women farmers had actively participated in the projects and they were economically empowered adding that US was assisting the agri-sector of Pakistan from last 50 years and make many success stories.

Highlighting the salient features of the project, FAO Country Representative, Patrick T. Evan said that the project had received encouraging response and women economic empowerment was the other achievement.

He said that kitchen gardening, hen farming, handicraft and livestock farming had enhance the income of the women of the province and they were significantly contributing in economic uplift of their family.